


fading to stardust

by poescurls



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: F/M, Not A Fix-It, contemplation before death, first fic, rebelcaptain fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-03
Updated: 2017-01-03
Packaged: 2018-09-14 14:01:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9184867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poescurls/pseuds/poescurls
Summary: Cassian always wondered what death would be like for him. As he clutches the rough fabric of Jyn's vest on Scarif's hauntingly beautiful beach, he realizes death comes in moments.





	

Cassian always wondered what death would be like for him. Would it be a stray blaster shot finding its mark in the middle of his chest? Would it be freefalling onto the surface of a planet in the remains of his U-wing? Being a part of the Alliance, death was always on the horizon, ominously looming over him. As he clutches the rough fabric of Jyn's vest on Scarif's hauntingly beautiful beach, he realizes death comes in moments, like a clock slowly winding down to its last minutes.

Tick.

A blaster shot slicing the air. Jyn shrieking his name. The smell of searing flesh as the sudden shock loosens his grip from the Imperial records. The fascinating yet terrifying feeling of freefall enveloping him as he closes his eyes and waits for the impact. The jarring collision of the durasteel beams and his body, rattling him to the core. The ringing of the grates tearing through his ears. Watching through blurred and fading vision as Jyn keeps climbing, and watching the twirl of Krennic's cape as he turns to pursue her. 

Tock.

The reverberating of his yells bouncing off the walls of the Imperial records room as he begins to climb in pursuit of Jyn. The excruciating burn of his wound spreading across his upper body. The image of Jyn being shot by Krennic constantly playing and replaying in his mind, pushing him to reach upwards despite every muscle in his body begging him not to. Hoping, the only thing he's been able to do in this damn war, that he won't be too late.

Tick.

Watching with a silent pride as Jyn stands fearlessly in front of Krennic, facing what seems to be a certain death with fiery determination. Firing his blaster, and meeting Jyn's eyes with a mix of relief and the sudden realization that the durasteel beams did more damage than he thought. He watches her transmit the plans, her joy contagious as she catches him in her arms. With the remaining strength he has, he keeps her away from Krennic, denying her the chance to do something she might regret, like the countless things he had done in the name of the Rebellion.

Tock.

The elevator. Cassian decides that if there's one moment that makes his death worth living through again, it's this one. Jyn holds him up as they descend, his only anchor, though that's not a surprise. He can hear the muffled explosions of the battle occuring outside the elevator, but the interior remains silent. Through the occasional slits of light pouring in from the outside, he meets Jyn's eyes, eyes that have captivated him from the first moment he saw them. These are the same eyes that poured out brokenness and grief after he had torn her away from Galen on Eadu. These are the same eyes that bore straight into his upon their departure from Eadu, nailing him to the wall of the Imperial shuttle with their anger, threatening to bury him in a guilt he wasn't willing to accept. These are the same eyes that now radiate acceptance to his own, sharing the fact that these few moments in the elevator may be the last. He tilts her face up to his, slowly brushing her jaw with his fingers. He leans down to meet her delicate lips with his, as Jyn's hands reach up to cup his face. Every shared look, every hesitant move, has led up to this moment. He wouldn't have it any other way. The kiss is tender, causing a warmth to blossom in his chest. As they part, he kisses her forehead, and Jyn settles her face into the crook of his neck. They stay like this, holding and supporting each other, until they hear the soft thud of the elevator reaching the ground and the grating of the doors opening.

Tick.

Cassian begins to rely more and more on Jyn's strength as the muscles of his body slowly begin to give out on him, one by one. He can see the glow of the explosion the Death Star caused as he and Jyn near the edge of the beach. Suddenly, he collapses onto the sand, Jyn's grip tightening as she joins him. "Your father would have been proud of you," Cassian whispers, trying to ignite the spark in Jyn's eyes one more time. She looks up at him and offers a grateful smile, reaching to wrap him in an embrace. She places herself in front of Cassian, attempting to shield him from a fraction of the explosion. He grasps Jyn's vest as tightly as he can, mirroring her heartbeat as they both wait for the inevitable. As he stares out at the beach, he spots several scattered rebel bodies, painfully recognizing a few. He thinks of the ones who fought with the Alliance despite having no ties to it: Bodhi Rook, who accepted Galen's mission and saught Saw Gerrera unstoppably, who made this mission possible and became a catalyst for the protection of the galaxy; Baze Malbus and Chirrut Îmwe, Guardians of the Whills who had no reason to defend Jyn, Cassian, and K2 when they were under attack, who refused to abandon them when it was obvious that the Alliance would not provide support to their operation, who willingly placed themselves on that beach to fight alongside them; and K2-SO, his constant companion that always sought to protect him from any threat he saw. As the air around him begins to prick his skin with heat, Chirrut's prayer comes to him. I am one with the Force, the Force is with-----

Tock.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! this is my first fic that i've ever published. hope you liked it! you can follow my tumblr @poescurls if you want to see more sw content from me!


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